


Damned If You Don't

by tigerlady (shetiger)



Category: Sanctuary (TV)
Genre: F/M, Undercover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-06
Updated: 2011-07-06
Packaged: 2017-10-21 02:16:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/219793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shetiger/pseuds/tigerlady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's just another mission. If only Tesla weren't in charge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Damned If You Don't

**Author's Note:**

> For the prompt 'kisses on the neck' at technosagery's [Impromptu Kissing Fest](http://technosage.livejournal.com/283960.html).

"So, we have a deal, then?" Tesla shapes it like a question, but his attitude leaves little doubt that he considers the negotiation part of the evening over and done. He's playing these guys perfectly, all macho swagger and devil-may-care bravado, but it still makes the hairs on the back of Kate's neck crawl. She feels far too exposed like this, without her guns and gear. At least Magnus had vetoed the stripper outfit Tesla wanted to stuff her into; having to play brainless and obedient while he's running the show is bad enough.

The chief asshole--or Jax, as he refers to himself--takes a step closer. Kate doesn't move, and neither does Tesla, but she can feel the muscles in his arm flex where it's resting across her shoulders. She's itching to turn her head, just enough to check things out, make a better tactical assessment of their options, but that would give away the gig. Besides, it wouldn't do any good anyway. The stuff Magnus put in her eyes to make them all dilated and minion-like makes it hard to make out details, not to mention giving her a headache from hell.

Tactical assessment or not, she's pretty sure every other asshole in the room is loaded for bear, and then some.

"Maybe," Jax says. The tip of his tongue peeks between his lips, and Kate's especially glad she's not wearing corset and leather as the asshole's eyes take a meandering trip up and down her body. (Not literally, thank goodness; she's been there, done that, most definitely did **not** buy the T-shirt.) The smile he aims at her feels like korpiri snot down the back of her neck. "Or maybe you'd like to sweeten the pot. I could knock a little off the price, if you did."

Tesla chuckles. "You like what you see, do you? Of course you do." He draws a finger lightly down the side of her neck. Kate would love to drop an elbow right to his gonads, but having to stand still and accept his touch means she can't quite repress the shiver he draws out of her. It's part revulsion, part something she doesn't want to think about, and she hopes she hasn't just killed them both.

Tesla simply laughs again. "See? So obedient, yet incredibly responsive as well."

Jax's lips draw up on one side, revealing a fang. _Not a vampire_ , she reminds herself. Just a distant offshoot of the original species. Practically human, Tesla had said--if you don't count the super human strength. Or the venom in their nails.

"I'll give you twenty," Jax says, staring right at Kate's boobs. "Right off the top."

"Hmm." Tesla steps in closer to her, moving so he's more directly behind her. He brushes the hair away from her neck and then leans down. Kate's heart triple-times it when she feels his breath, the brush of his lips, the heat of his mouth, all right over her jugular. For a second she feels the prick of teeth, but the touch is so light it might only be her fear-sharpened imagination. He presses the tip of his tongue against her skin, and then he pulls back. "For her? That's insulting."

Jax snorts. "For her? She must have a hell of a lot more tricks up her sleeve than just standing there." Smirking, he stretches his hand out, towards the neckline of her shirt. Kate wills herself not to react--but before the scum's touch ever lands, he's jumping backwards, cradling his bloodied hand to his chest.

She never even saw Tesla move.

"Lesson number one, _child_ ," Tesla snarls. "Never, _ever_ touch a vampire's property without permission."

Jax straightens slowly, squaring his shoulders and dropping his good hand to his belt. Kate thinks they're gonna have a problem--but then the guy looks down, almost like he's bowing his head. "Sorry," he says. He snaps his fingers and waves his uninjured hand in the direction of one of his goons. "Just a simple misunderstanding, right? Let's just get on with this."

"You're lucky I'm feeling magnanimous today," Tesla says, back to pompous and arch rather than deadly furious. The lightning-fast shift makes her want to shiver again. He holds up one hand, nails still extended as he curls his index finger in a come-hither motion. "Hurry up. I grow impatient."

One of the other assholes comes forward with a chest, a plain wooden box about the size of three of Kate's fists put together. The guy opens the lid a crack and proffers it, holding it up above his head so only Tesla can get a good look. Kate tells herself it's all part of the game, and that she wouldn't have been able to focus on their mysterious redlister anyway, but she's still annoyed.

Tesla nods, and then the guy closes the chest and locks it. Jax passes over an iPhone, and Tesla taps in the information for the offshore account.

"There," Tesla says, handing the phone back to Jax. "Satisfied?"

Jax nods. "I'd say it's been a pleasure, but."

"Likewise." Tesla's preternaturally still against her back, so still she wants to shift a little, press back against him, to make sure he's still there. But then the chest guy is back, passing their newly acquired property over to her, and Kate has to concentrate on not dropping it. The box weighs a ton; the abnormal inside must have gold-plated scales or something. As soon as she has it, Tesla presses a hand against her shoulder, turning her around and giving her a little shove towards the exit.

"Toodles," Tesla calls out as he falls in step behind her. She can imagine his cocky little wave of goodbye. "Don't call us, we'll-- You know what? Just don't call us."

Kate keeps a steady, mindless pace all the way out to the limo Tesla insisted on using for this gig. As soon as she's inside, she settles the chest safely on the floor--and then collapses back into the seat, closing her eyes. The door closes and then there's a small tap, what she assumes is Tesla knocking against the glass, and then they're moving. She keeps her eyes closed, the heels of her palms pressed hard against her eyelids, trying to force the pain out of her eyeballs, until the limo finds a steady speed.

"Okay," she says, dropping her hands and squinting at Tesla sitting opposite her. "Let's get something straight. I am never, ever doing that again."

"Whyever not?" The overhead light glints off his teeth. Human teeth, at least, but the effect is still obnoxious. "I had a blast. Didn't you?"

"I'd have had an even better time if I had a wooden stake handy."

Tesla barks a laugh. "Oh, Abraham," he says, shaking his head in an amused, condescending way. "You were just the gift that kept on giving, weren't you?"

"I'm not joking around." Kate nudges him in the knee with her foot. "You were using me to bait Jax. To get him to make a move so you'd have the upper hand."

"Caught that, did you?" Tesla sighs. "I was making the best of a bad situation, all right? It all turned out for the best in the end."

"Except for the part where I need to wash vampire saliva off my neck." Goosebumps spring up at the memory of his mouth on her. She hopes he doesn't notice, but she doesn't trust the way he's smiling. Kate figures her squinted eyes are as intimidating a look as she's able to pull off right now, but she adds another little kick to make sure he gets the message. "I mean it, toothy. You ever try to take a bite out of me, I _will_ find a way to end you."

Tesla stretches forward, easily closing the floorspace between them, and braces one long arm on the headrest behind her. Kate's pulse speeds. He's staring right into her eyes, and she wonders if any of the rumors about a vampire's gaze are true. "Oh, Miss Katherine, I promise you," he says in a low voice, practically whispering. "It's not your blood I want to taste."

For a long couple of seconds, she thinks he's going to kiss her. But then he backs away, slipping back onto his seat and relaxing down into it, eyes closed like he doesn't have a care in the world.

Kate brushes her fingers across her neck. The skin there is still sensitive, enough to make goosebumps spring up and her nipples tighten. Maybe he did bite her. Maybe even now she's losing her marbles to blood loss, or some vampire neurotoxin he injected into her veins. She pulls her hand away and slowly looks down at her fingertips, bracing herself for a wash of red--but there's nothing there. Nothing at all to explain her reaction.

Kate huffs. Tesla doesn't move, doesn't say anything to acknowledge her agitation. She crosses her arms over her chest, telling herself to shake it off. They'll be back at the Sanctuary soon enough, and then this whole evening will be one more crazy memory.

Tesla's lips twitch.

Her own curl up in response. Kate huffs again, then twists in her seat and closes her eyes. The more she tries to tame her smile, though, the harder it forces itself onto her mouth.

Damn vampires.

END


End file.
